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How to control erosion control on steep slopes

Heavy rain can cause damage to the soil and it can lead to erosion as well. Erosion is the action of surface processes that remove soil, rock or other dissolved material from the surface of earth. The removed particles are then transported to other locations.

Some problems associated with erosion

Erosion can cause a lot of problems. When the erosion process starts, the top soil generally erodes first. The top soil is rich in nutrients and when it erodes away, the remainder of the soil does not have enough nutrients to support plant life.

In addition to the removal of top soil, erosion can cause an increased runoff. The reason behind this is that, as the top soil erodes away, the soil that is left behind, does not have good water retaining capability. Due to the erosion of top soil, the organic matter in the soil is reduced and so water retention is decreased.

Erosion on soil can also cause sediment to accumulate in nearby lakes, oceans and rivers. Due to the sedimentation, the fish and other wildlife find it difficult to see well and find their food. Another problem that may arise is that they sometimes intake soil particulates through their gills which affects their breathing.

Due to land development on hilly areas, erosion control becomes vital on steep slopes and embankments. Especially in areas that experience heavy rainfall. Such steep slopes that have no vegetation or cover are more likely to develop erosion as compared to other ones. Erosion can cause a lot of damage to the landscape and the infrastructure that is surrounding a particular project. So, it is essential to protect the hillside from erosion before the starting and completion of the project.

Read the complete article to develop an understanding of this problem and to learn how to cater this problem!

Soil erosion is bad and can prove to be very harmful, so it must be controlled. There are many ways to control and limit this issue and are described below:

Natural Solutions

The most effective, natural way to control soil erosion on steep slopes and embankments is to plant vegetation. Not only will the grass, fescue and leaves help to slow down raindrops as they fall, the roots of the plants will also help to hold the soil together, making it harder for water to wash it away.

However, when planting vegetation on a slope to stop erosion, you need to keep in mind that what you’re planting is just as important as the planting. Though grasses can create a groundcover that can absorb some moisture, they have less effective storm water filtration ability compared to native ground cover.

Artificial Solutions

Other than planting vegetation, there are also a variety of artificial solutions you can use. For instance, the use of geomats has become popular over the last few years. Geomats are water permeable polymers that are used to help fix soil elements, grass and small plant roots, and have been shown to work extremely well, especially on barren slopes that have no vegetation.

Soil Composition Enhancement

You could also control erosion by controlling the soil itself. As heavy rain tends to be the biggest culprit for soil erosion on slopes and embankments, by controlling the composition of the soil, you specialty soils could control the effect that water has on it and therefore the likelihood that it will be eroded.